More than one million Israeli children live in poverty and hunger amid the nation’s ongoing war against Iran-backed terrorism. According to recent data from Latet, nearly one in three Israeli children are now considered “food insecure.”
“Most Americans think of Israel as a prosperous, high-tech nation,” said Joel Chernoff, founder and executive board chairman of Joseph Project International. “The reality is that hundreds of thousands of Israelis are struggling to put food on the table, and the ongoing war against terror groups is catapulting more Israelis into poverty every day.”
Since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas –Palestinian invasion and terror attack on Israel, Joseph Project International has distributed more than $24.4 million in humanitarian aid through its network of partners in Israel, including local government organizations and charitable agencies. The aid organization, which Chernoff launched 25 years ago, operates a 16,000 square foot warehouse in central Israel. Overseas aid arrives in giant 40-foot shipping containers, funded by donors in the United States and elsewhere.
“We’re a lifeline for Jews, Arabs and Christians living in Israel,” said Chernoff, who also is general secretary and CEO of the Messianic Jewish Alliance of America. “We deliver aid to the people who need it the most, regardless of race, religion or creed.”
Since the war began, Israel’s vital tourism industry has been decimated, compounding economic woes and causing a surge in child hunger. A recent report by nonprofit organization Latet painted a bleak picture, saying that one in three of Israeli children are “food insecure.” According to Jerusalem’s Taub Center for Social Policy Studies, Arab-Israeli and ultra-Orthodox Jewish children are the most vulnerable, with more than half living in poverty, one of the highest rates of child poverty among developed countries.
In the past quarter century, Joseph Project International has become Israel’s largest importer of humanitarian aid, distributing more than a thousand 40-foot shipping containers of international aid, including food, clothing, medical supplies and hygiene items, valued at more $174 million. “Now is the time to bring hope and healing to the nation of Israel by sharing with them the compassionate, loving heart of the God of Israel and the Messiah of Israel,” Chernoff said.
For more information, visit www.josephprojectinternational.org.